


Who Said I Can't Jump?

by IchiBri



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Romance, Horseback Riding, M/M, POV Third Person, Swearing, riding academy au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-31
Updated: 2015-10-30
Packaged: 2018-04-11 22:09:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4454231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IchiBri/pseuds/IchiBri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because of his father's job relocation, Ichigo moves to a new city and subsequently a new riding academy.  When he drives up to Silver Soul Riding Academy, he never expects to be drawn to a blue-haired stablehand; but little does he know Grimmjow has hidden skills beneath his flannel shirt and dusty jeans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blue Duo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no excuse for this other than I REALLY needed cowboy Grimmjow and Ichigo in jodhpurs. Thus, a riding stable au was born. 
> 
> I'm planning on this being around 5 chapters long, but I'm not sure if that'll be enough as I only have the first 3 outlined. I'll try to update this at least once a month, but it may take a little longer due to other ongoing fics and oneshots.
> 
> There's also a mini glossary of horse-related terms I used in this chapter in the end notes.

The rolling hills of barley fields gave way to the concrete jungle of storefronts, super highways, and rush hour traffic.  Ichigo leaned his head on the uncomfortably warm glass of the car window and stared at the miles of backed-up traffic ahead of them.  He wasn't sure how much more of this insufferably hot and stuffy car ride he could take.  The four hour drive hadn't been so bad when he had the changing scenery of the midsummer countryside to distract his mind; but without the richness of forests and ponds and fields, he found his mind wandering far from the traffic jam he and his family were now stuck in.

Specifically to a four-legged beast he was forced to leave in a transporter's hands.  Images of his prized six year old Anglo-Arabian gelding flooded his mind, remembering how the gelding put up a valiant fight earlier that morning when being led into the trailer.  Ichigo cringed as he watched the stout gentlemen try to persuade the high-spirited Shiro into the deathbox of a horse trailer (or that was what Shiro viewed it as).  He stepped in before the transporter could raise a frustrated hand against the horse.  He murmured sweet nothings to the beast and coaxed Shiro into the trailer one step at a time.  Once Shiro was safely inside, Ichigo closed and latched the door.  When he turned to the transporter, the calm patience he showed his horse disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Thinking back on it now, Ichigo didn't regret the threat he spat in the man's face.  If the man dared to raise a spiteful hand to  _his_ horse, Ichigo would not hesitate to bash the dude's face in.

So he couldn't help the twitch of his sweaty palms as he fidgeted in the passenger seat.  If he had a horse trailer (or even knew how to drive with one attached at the hitch), Ichigo would've transported Shiro himself.  But he didn't - no, couldn't - so trusting the stout man to get Shiro to the new riding academy in one piece was his only option.  He'd be damned, though, if he wouldn't jump in his own car to speed to the new stable the minute they reached their suburban home.

His younger sister Karin would probably complain about him not helping unpack the moving truck, but that could wait until he confirmed Shiro's safe arrival with his own eyes.  Plus, Ichigo knew he could count on his other sister Yuzu (Karin's fraternal twin) to defend his rapid departure.

Don't get him wrong, Ichigo felt bad even thinking about abandoning his family to unpack their possessions without his help, but he'd be more of a burden than an asset with how muddled his head felt.  They could manage on their own.  Or, well, his sisters could.  Ichigo wasn't so sure about his dad.  And they took care of most of the big stuff like furniture last weekend, so that helped to ease Ichigo's mind.

Heaving a sigh, he slumped lower in his seat.  The godawful traffic would take some getting used to, as it was a far cry from the deserted streets of his hometown - the cozy little town he had to say goodbye to.  But he had the past three months to come to terms with the relocation of his dad's job.  Did it suck leaving his friends behind?  Of course, but he could always text them, so he wasn't about to let the move ruin his summer.

This traffic, on the other hand, was wearing at his nerves.  He told his dad it'd be faster to take the back roads, but Isshin insisted on the freeway's efficiency.  Ichigo would say 'I told you so', but Karin was doing enough of that herself.  So he remained tight-lipped and simply enjoyed the lecturing of his sister.

A good half-hour later, traffic inched far enough forward that their exit was within sight.  Isshin worked his way into the proper lane and earned a few angry honks in the process.  The entire family of four sighed in relief when they abandoned the snail's pace of the freeway for the far more reasonable traffic of the off-ramp.  After another fifteen minutes of navigating city streets, they left behind the hustle and bustle to drive into the quieter residential suburbs.

Ichigo stared out the window at the near-identical two-story houses lining the street.  Everything was the same - white picket fences, manicured lawns, and minivans.  Other than slight discrepancies in the tones of white siding and choices of flowers for landscaping, Ichigo swore each home started out a carbon copy of the one next to it.  If it wasn't for his beat-up Mitsubishi parked in the driveway, Ichigo wouldn't have recognized which house was their new home.

"Looks like we beat the moving van," Isshin said as he pulled into the driveway and parked beside the silver Mitsubishi.  He reached across the center console to swat Ichigo's shoulder.  "Told you the freeway was faster."

"Dad," Yuzu poked her head between the two males to point down the street.  "They've been right behind us the whole time."

"Still beat 'em," Isshin boasted.  "Oi!  Where are you going, Ichigo?"

"Checking on Shiro," Ichigo called over his shoulder as he slammed the car door shut.

He raced to his own vehicle in a single heartbeat and fumbled for his keys in his pocket.  Upon finally finding them and unlocking the car, he slipped into the driver's seat and didn't hesitate to bring up the GPS on his phone.  Clicking his seat belt in place, he reached for the gear shifter; but his hand fell short.

_Shit.  My tack._

With a deflated huff, he unbuckled and mechanically slipped from the vehicle.  Heat rose to his cheeks when Karin side-eyed him with a knowing smirk.  Head down, he idled by his car until the garage door opened and his family (along with the two movers) began carrying boxes inside.

He darted to the moving truck in a few long strides and leapt into the back with a graceful jump.  His eyes swept over the stacks of boxes as he racked his memory to recall where he placed the box with his riding equipment.  But his mind blanked to images of absolutely nothing.  At that moment, it'd be a miracle if the teen remembered his own name.

"Your tack's over here."

Ichigo startled at his younger sister's voice, spinning on his heels to spot Karin nonchalantly pointing at a lone box on the concrete.  As he scratched at the nape of his neck and jumped out of the truck, he said, "Uh, thanks."

"You better be back before dinner because Yuzu's making your favorite."

Ichigo stooped down to pick up the box.  "I'm just going to check on Shiro, so it shouldn't take too long."

"That's what you said last time, Ichi-nii."

"I promise," he said, tucking the box against his side and gaining a free hand to ruffle his sister's raven hair.

Karin ducked to the side and swatted his hand away.  "Get outta here."

"I'll be back in an hour.  Two hours tops," Ichigo called with a wave.  He stowed his box of tack in the back seat of his car before getting behind the wheel.

After shifting into reverse, he backed out of the driveway and sped down the street.  If any new neighbors complained about his speeding, they'd just have to deal with it.  Five miles over the limit wouldn't even attract a cop's attention (well, unless that cop was a major asshole).  God, he hoped an asshole cop wasn't once of his new neighbors.

He made it out the neighborhood without a problem and bypassed the freeway for the scenic route through the outskirts of the city.  When the double lanes merged into a single one and buildings disappeared to be replaced by a sea of grass and trees, Ichigo relaxed into his seat.  He rolled down the window and breathed in the fresh country air, the scent of car exhaust no longer prominent.  Ichigo had nothing against cities, but the open space of the countryside gave him freedom to hop on the back of his four-legged companion and forget about his worries for an afternoon.

Even without the GPS, Ichigo spotted the stable with ease.  White-washed fences pastured in paddocks of horses of all colors and sizes.  Knowing Silver Soul Riding Academy was the only stable within an hour of the city, Ichigo figured he had the right place.  After signalling and turning onto the pebble drive, an overhanging sign confirmed Ichigo's suspicion to be true.

He stared in awe at the approaching expanse of a cobblestone yard with an elaborate fountain as a centerpiece.  His jaw dropped as he parked beside the gorgeous water feature, simply taking in his surroundings.  How the hell did his father manage to afford this place?  The fountain and immaculate landscaping of pristine flowers and trimmed hedges looked more expensive than Ichigo's car.  On his right, a small two-story log cabin with a sign reading 'Main Office' could've passed as the owner's personal home.  But then again, the first barn beside it fooled Ichigo into thinking the same thing until a blue-haired teen - no older than Ichigo - led a chestnut horse into the stable yard.

Ichigo hurried out of his car, calling to the other boy as he slammed the door shut.  "Excuse me.  Do you know where I can find the owner or manager?"

The teen's pace didn't falter as he continued leading the horse down the drive.  Aquamarine eyes flicked to glare at Ichigo, but he said nothing.  Simply jabbing a thumb over his shoulder at the stable he exited moment's prior, the teen otherwise ignored Ichigo.

 _Maybe he's a stablehand.  I mean, he doesn't look like a jumper or eventer._ Ichigo dismissed the gruff stableboy and headed in the pointed direction.  After all, it wasn't too uncommon for stablehands to be treated like crap from clients, especially the kind of clients that can afford riding at an elite academy such as Silver Soul.  (How the fuck could he afford to ride here?)  So if the boy in dirt-caked jeans, muddy work boots, and a gray flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up thought Ichigo was just another spoiled rich kid, Ichigo would show him otherwise.

He stepped onto the concrete walkway of the stable.  Ambling past pristine oak stalls - many with four-legged occupants - Ichigo gawked at the ribbons and plaques which adorned the stall doors.  He knew Silver Soul was a frequent competitor of eventing, hunter/jumper, and dressage competitions; but never in his wildest imaginations did he expect to be among so many winners.  He might have to step up his game.

"You must be Ichigo Kurosaki."

Russet eyes abandoned their appraisal of the building to snap to the woman walking toward him.  The woman tucked long strands of green hair behind her ear before outstretching her hand to Ichigo.  "I'm Nelliel tu Odelschwanck - the owner of Silver Soul Riding Academy."

Ichigo clasped her hand.  "Ichigo Kurosaki, although you already know that."

"Your horse - Shiro, is it?"  Ichigo nodded and followed after her as Nelliel walked further into the stable.  With a soft laugh, she continued, "He's a handful.  No one could get him to back out of the trailer."

"I'm really sorry," Ichigo scratched at the nape of his neck.  "I wanted to be here to unload him myself, but traffic was a bi- really bad."

"Don't worry about it.  My little brother calmed him enough to get him in a stall."  Upon seeing the apprehension in Ichigo's knit brows, she added, "Grimmjow's great with horses.  He'd never do anything to harm them."

Ichigo huffed out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in.  "I'd like to think him for that then."

"He's around here somewhere," she gestured vaguely to their surroundings.

Nel led Ichigo around the pristine property - showing him paddocks, outdoor arenas, the entrance to three cross country courses of varying difficulty, and two more horse stables (each with its own tack room, wash stalls, and hay storage).  Walking along the aisle of the third barn, Ichigo's attention drifted to the only indoor arena.  He watched through the viewing windows as a petite girl atop a dark bay Standardbred approached a 3 1/2 foot vertical jump.  The pair jumped - no, soared - over the top pole, the horse's hooves not even nicking the painted pole.

"That's the afternoon jumping class," Nelliel explained when she saw the awe lighting up Ichigo's dark eyes.  She glanced at her leather wristwatch.  "They should be done shortly, so I'll introduce you to them."

Ichigo nodded dumbly, unable to take his eyes off the short jumping course in the arena.  He followed every cantering stride and flexing muscle of the horse as it launched itself off the ground and landed smoothly on the other side of an oxer jump.  The horse's pace slowed to a trot and then a walk as its rider reined it in to face the riding instructor approaching them.  Ichigo couldn't hear what the man with long raven hair said, but whatever it was had a satisfied smile beaming upon her lips.

"Looks like that was the last run through for the day," Nelliel said, drawing Ichigo's attention away from the handful of riders dismounting their horses.  She continued down the walkway to stop in front of the arena's gate which connected it to the barn's cross-tie stalls.  Unlatching the safety lock, Nel swung the gate open as the first few riders led their mounts closer.

"Did you see that, Nel?" the front girl - the one who just finished jumping - asked as she pulled off her riding helmet.

Nel flashed her a brilliantly white smile.  "I did.  If you keep all your jumps that clean, you'll have no trouble placing in every competition you enter."

With a quirky smirk, the girl turned mischievous violet eyes to her companion - a boy with bright red hair and the dark ink of tattoos peeking out from the short sleeves of a formfitting tee.  She cocked her elbow and jabbed it into his ribs.  "Unlike some people."

"I knocked down one pole!  Let it go!"

The girl burst out into cackling laughter that would've spooked most horses, but not one of the six equines so much as flinched.  She only fell silent when the red-headed boy spotted Ichigo and loudly asked, "Who's that?"

All eyes turned to stare at the newcomer.  Even the instructor and the two riders helping to put away the jumps abandoned their task to join the growing group around Ichigo.

Ichigo squared his shoulders and stood a little taller when Nelliel introduced him.  "This is Ichigo Kurosaki.  He competes in intermediate-level individual eventing and will be joining us at Silver Soul starting today."

Nel went on to introduce everyone else.  The petite girl with a cute bob hairstyle was Rukia, and her elder brother Byakuya was one of the riding academy's jumping instructors.  Rukia - along with the red-headed and tatted Renji, the bald Ikkaku, and the delicate-looking Yumichika with a single braid hanging lower than the rest of his hair - formed part of the stable's intermediate eventing team.  The last two boys - Hisagi with the scars running down his cheek and Kira with long blond bangs covering his left eye - competed in hunter/jumper classes.

The riders extended their welcome before losing interest in the newcomer and going back to what they were doing.  Byakuya offered Ichigo a handshake and a "I look forward to seeing you ride" before he, too, went back to his duties.  With everyone seemingly ignoring his existence, Ichigo simply observed them.  They paired off and chatted as they led their horses to the cross-ties.  As they untacked and brushed their mounts, they jokingly teased each other and laughed among friends. 

It left Ichigo with a longing for his old stable and the friends he used to ride with.  He knew he couldn't expect to be accepted immediately, but it still stung to be the loner in a room full of already established friendships.  Turning to Nelliel, he was about to ask where Shiro's stall was when the clip-clop of hoofbeats coming up from behind distracted him.

Without conscious thought, Ichigo stepped to the side to make more room on the walkway for whomever it was.  He chanced a glance over his shoulder and spotted the electrifying blue hair of the stableboy from earlier.  Still caked in dust and dirt from nearly head to toe, the teen led a blue roan Quarter Horse to the now empty arena.  Ichigo had to do a double take when he spotted the synthetic training saddle - not because it was cheap or beat up beyond reason, but because it was a western saddle.  Silver Soul Riding Academy specialized in English disciplines - specifically eventing, hunter/jumper, and dressage - so to see anything outside those disciplines truly surprised Ichigo.

But it piqued his curiosity, and his eyes couldn't help but trail after the other teen.  Nel stepped to close the gate after the blue duo, and Ichigo came up next to her in time to see the boy effortlessly swing into the saddle.  Collecting the split reins in his left hand, he tucked his right hand against his abdomen.  Without any detectable signal, his horse moved off at a fast walk.  After a lap of the arena in both directions, an almost insignificant pressure from the rider's boots had the horse speeding up to one of the fastest trots Ichigo had ever seen.  He internally cringed at the jolt of the boy's body from the sudden change in speed, but the rider showed no sign of panic or even frustration.  With amazing control of his core, the teen purposefully slowed the energy of his body.  For a few quick strides, the mismatched movements of rider and horse were hard on the eyes; but then the gelding's erratic pace slowed to a composed jog.

 _Wow_ , Ichigo thought.  He'd never seen something so... effortless.  The boy simply slowed his own body, and the horse followed suit.  There was no struggle with pulling back on the reins, no fight against a headstrong horse.

The pair spent a few minutes jogging circles and figure eights before riding in line with the walls of the arena.  He rounded the shorter side of the arena and smoothly transitioned into a steady lope.  He made a complete lap of the arena before the horse spend up considerably.

Watching with bated breath, Ichigo's jaw dropped when the horse's haunches lowered and its back legs dug into the sandy footing to throw up a cloud of dust.  "Was that..?" he trailed off.

Nel laughed lightly at his side.  "A sliding stop," she supplied for Ichigo, her smile evident in the lilt of her voice.  "That's my little brother Grimmjow."

 _Little brother?  As in he lives here?  And is technically an owner, too?_  Russet eyes widened in disbelief, flicking momentarily to see the proud smile upon Nelliel's lips before darting back to the boy - to Grimmjow - because he didn't want to miss a single second of the dance between beast and man.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Ichigo could only nod as he watched the synchronization of the teen and his horse.  They loped two complete figure eights, successfully executing a flying lead change every time they completed one circle to start the next.

"That's reining, right?"  Ichigo asked, never once taking his eyes off the duo.

"Yep.  He's kinda the odd man out here, because he doesn't compete in any English disciplines.  And there aren't any reining competitions in the area, so he never gets to showcase his skills."  Nel sighed, her discontent evident.  "Grimm's great with horses.  He's the first to ride all the three year olds and gives them a solid foundation before handing them over to one of our dressage or jumping trainers when they turn five."

A painful twinge of guilt stabbed Ichigo's chest.  He assumed Grimmjow was only a stablehand who mucked stalls and fed horses.  He acted like those spoiled rich kids he despised and judged Grimmjow at first glance.  And if he was Nel's little brother, then he was the one who calmed Shiro (which Ichigo knew was no easy task).  He needed to thank Grimmjow and maybe ask for a few pointers.  Maybe.

"Nel."

Ichigo's eyes flicked to the new voice, catching a glimpse of golden blonde hair and a skin-tight white polo shirt with the top two buttons undone.  He quickly adverted his gaze back to Grimmjow in time to see him execute another sliding stop and shift effortlessly into a rollback.

"What is it, Tier?"

"Your 6 o'clock appointment is here to look at Skye."

"Oh, shoot."  Nelliel checked the time on her watch.  "Tell them I'll be with them in a few minutes."

She turned from Tier to tap Ichigo's shoulder, smiling at the teen's reluctance to pull his attention away from Grimmjow.  "Shiro is down this aisle on the left side.  Three stalls from the end."

"Mhmm," Ichigo hummed in response, vaguely registering her directions.  He didn't even notice her leaving with the other woman, for he was far too mesmerized by the blue duo.

In the center of the arena, his eyes locked with electric blue.  Ichigo's lips upturned into a smile at the slight surprise upon the other boy's stoic face.

Grimmjow remained still for a moment, neither he or his equine moving a single muscle.  But then he bared his teeth in a feral smirk.  He moved his hand as if to steer his horse to the right; but instead of walking off, the gelding spun - pivoting around the center of an invisible circle.  After a slow start, the gelding picked up speed and spun so fast it made Ichigo dizzy watching it.

If the speed of the shuffling of hooves wasn't impressive enough, Grimmjow dropped the reins to drape them over the horse's neck.  Raising his arms at his sides, he flicked both middle fingers into the air as he flashed a shit-eating grin at his single spectator.

 _Cocky asshole_ , Ichigo thought, but his lips twitched into a small smile.  He returned the vulgar gesture and made sure Grimmjow caught sight of it before spinning on his heels to find Shiro.

He probably should've listened to Nel's directions, but how hard could it be to find his horse in the stable?  He walked down the middle of the aisle and glanced into every stall.  Surprisingly, most remained empty; but then again, it was a pleasant day, so most were probably soaking in the rays of the summer sun.  He passed bronze nameplates on the stall doors, until he came to a stall without one.  He peeked into it, a beaming grin spreading across his face at the sight of a dappled rump.

"Shiro," he cooed as he unlatched the stall door and slipped inside.

The white gelding's head shot up, long ears perking in his owner's direction.  He spun to face Ichigo, pawing at the fresh pine shavings which bedded his stall.

"I know, I know.  I'm sorry I wasn't here to unload you.  Can you forgive me?"

Shiro snorted with a toss of his head and nudged Ichigo's shoulder, drawing a chuckle from the teen.  Ichigo stroked his hand down the long face and side-stepped to stand at the horse's withers.  Running his hand along the muscular neck, over his shoulder, and down his front leg; Ichigo felt for any unnatural heat, bumps, or scratches.  He repeated the process with each leg and gave his horse a final once-over before patting the equine's neck.

"Glad to see you made it in one piece."

Shiro pawed at the ground again, stepping forward to hang his head over the stall door and neighed loudly.  Ichigo cringed at the shrill noise, but chuckled at the series of replying whinnies.  He stepped to Shiro's side and leaned against the stall door.  "Behave," he absentmindedly patted the horse's cheek.  "You'll be able to make new friends tomorrow."

Hopefully, Ichigo would too.

He gazed at the neighboring stalls, admiring the pictures, ribbons, and occasional plaque adorning them.  The stalls on either side of him were empty, but their colorful display of ribbons proved they had occupants.  Shiro's stall seemed bare in comparison.  Maybe Ichigo would bring in his own ribbons and pictures to decorate his stall.

Then his eyes trailed to the stall directly across the aisle.  Not a single reward or picture hung upon the wood.  But the pastel blue rope halter and braided black and blue lead rope hanging upon an iron hook on the stall led Ichigo to believe it was home to someone's horse.  Squinting to see the letters upon the bronze nameplate, he arched an eyebrow at what he read.

_Pantera?  Who the fuck names a horse after a cat?_

The clip-clop of hooves upon concrete had Ichigo retreating into Shiro's stall, busying himself with checking Shiro's legs... again.  He straightened up to peek into the aisle, catching sight of the dusty backside of a certain blue-haired teen.  How the hell did he get so dirty?  Was there a single part of him not caked with dirt?  Probably not.

Grimmjow unlatched the stall to lead his horse into it.  He slipped the headstall from its face, and rubbed soothing circles on the equine's cheek.  Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out an apple-flavored horse treat and offered it in his palm to the equine.  "You did great, Pantera," he murmured quietly, barely loud enough for Ichigo to hear.

 _Of course_ , Ichigo thought, shaking his head with a tiny smile playing at the corners of his lips.   _Who else would have a horse named Pantera?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have taken "a king and his horse" a little too seriously.
> 
>  
> 
> Glossary
> 
> Anglo-Arabian - a cross between a Thoroughbred and an Arabian
> 
> eventing - an equestrian sport in which competitors must take part in each of several contests, usually cross-country, dressage, and show jumping.
> 
> flying lead change - A general lead change is when the horse swaps the inside leg while he is cantering. If you are going around an arena to the left, the right leg should be leading the canter [meaning it extends the farthest]. When you change directions to the right, the left leg has to lead. A lead change is when you change the inside leg based on which direction you are going. A flying change is when the horse changes legs in mid air. In a cantering stride, there is a phase when the horses legs are all in mid air. This is when you ask them to change.
> 
> hunter/jumper - There are Hunters and then there are Jumpers. Hunters is where the horse and rider jump a course and the judging is based on accuracy, grace, and elegance. Jumpers are judged based on fastest time (while taking faults/penalties for refusals and knocking down poles into consideration).
> 
> oxer jump - two verticals close together to make the jump wider
> 
> vertical jump - a jump that consists of poles or planks placed one directly above another
> 
> For the reining terms such as sliding stop and rollback (& even the spin), I'd recommend going on youtube to watch a video of it because they're really cool. Same thing if you want to know what dressage is. 
> 
>  
> 
> Next Chapter...  
> Shiro shenanigans, Ichigo makes a few friends (which may include Grimmjow), and Ichigo falls off... a lot.


	2. Dabble in a Bit of Everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry in advance if some of it seems a little rushed. I really wanted to get this out today since I didn't finish it in time for this past weekend, and I spent a large chunk of yesterday/this morning finishing it.

Ichigo loved gazing upon a mid-afternoon sky to watch the clouds slowly roll by.  Picking out shapes and symbols in the puffs of white helped to relax his mind and ease the tension of his muscles.  He wasn't one to actively seek out a nice patch of grass to lie upon and waste away the afternoon with his eyes glued to the sky, but he spent enough time lying on the hard ground of outdoor riding arenas to appreciate the cloud-watching hobby.

 _A lopsided rabbit.  Don't see that one often_ , he thought even as his shoulder burned with the new ache of where it collided with the ground.

Vaguely, Ichigo registered the hysterical cackling of a few of the other boys in his afternoon jumping class.  From their point of view, Ichigo's fall was downright hilarious; and Ichigo couldn't deny he'd be laughing too if it was one of them on the ground.  But it wasn't Renji or Ikkaku who's horse refused the first jump of the day.  And it also wasn't one of them who flew over the horse's shoulder to collide with the dirt.  But hey, Ichigo technically made the jump.  Now he just had to do it while still atop Shiro's back.

"Are you okay, Ichigo?"

His attention turned from the cloud-ridden sky to the busty girl hurrying his way.  Ichigo had only been introduced to the other redhead right before practice; yet despite only knowing him for about a half hour, Orihime didn't hesitate to dismount her equine and rush to his side.  She even beat Instructor Kuchiki in offering him a hand to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine.  Happens all the time," Ichigo brushed off her concern as he clasped her hand.  He dusted the dirt from his cream-colored breeches and adjusted his helmet.

"All the time?" Byakuya arched a thin eyebrow at Ichigo's words.

"I-"  Ichigo caught sight of his dappled gelding jumping riderless over one of the taller verticals.  He heaved a sigh at the resulting snorts of laughter coming from the other riders.  "We can do better."

"I hope so," Byakuya said, turning from Ichigo in time to see another of Shiro's riderless jumps.  Shaking his head, Byakuya rubbed at his temples.  "Please tell me he can do that while you're atop him."

"He can.  I'll prove it," Ichigo said as he walked off toward Shiro.  A single call of the horse's name had the equine sliding to a stop and whipping his head in Ichigo's direction.

Shiro trotted to meet Ichigo in the middle of the arena, stopping just short of running into him.  With a snort of air, Shiro knocked his nose against Ichigo's shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, you little shit," Ichigo rubbed the equine's forehead as he gathered the reins in his other hand.  "Can you please behave long enough to finish this course?  There'll be an extra treat in it for you."

Shiro snorted again and bobbed his head, prancing in place as Ichigo slipped his foot into the stirrup.  Before Ichigo was fully seated in the saddle, Shiro trotted off toward the nearest jump.

"That's not behaving," Ichigo muttered as he reined Shiro in.  The equine stopped long enough for Ichigo to nudge his other foot in its stirrup and collect the reins in his hands.

With subtle leg pressure, Shiro took off at a trot and adjusted to a slow canter after a couple strides.  Ichigo zeroed in on the first jump as Shiro rode in a wide arc toward it.  When Shiro's path straightened out, his stride quickened to the point Ichigo had to hold him back, or they'd knock down the top pole of the jump.

 _Come on, Shiro.  I know you can do it_ , Ichigo wordlessly offered his companion - his partner - trust and support.  He wasn't about to let anyone here look down on Shiro because the horse had a little extra spunk and spirit.  He'd show everyone how great Shiro was, and then they'd also come to appreciate Shiro's sometimes questionable attitude.

Heels down, Ichigo lifted himself off the saddle's seat and leaned forward as Shiro launched off the ground.  Time slowed when he was in the air, and the half second before Shiro's front hooves landed upon the ground was the closest to heaven Ichigo had ever been.  Even when he heard the familiar tick of a back hoof clipping the pole, Ichigo didn't look back.  They made the jump.  It was far from a clean jump, but the pole wouldn't fall.  Ichigo just knew it.

The pair finished the short course without another refusal from Shiro, landing smoothly on the other side of the second vertical in a double combination jump.  Slowing to a trot and then finally a walk, Ichigo made his way over to Byakuya.

"Not bad," the instructor commented when Shiro stopped beside him.  "You probably shouldn't enter any hunter classes, but that performance was acceptable for an eventer.  If you collect him and shorten his reins a little more; your jumps will be cleaner, and you won't risk knocking down poles.  Try it again with a shorter rein and control his speed going into those jumps."

Ichigo nodded at the constructive criticism, even though he'd heard those exact words from his first riding instructor.  She'd been the trainer who told Ichigo to give Shiro a longer rein - essentially giving the equine more control of his own head.  It was either that, or Ichigo ended up on his ass every time.  But he'd learned over the years it was easier to demonstrate that to new instructors than try to explain it with only words.

Yep, Ichigo was going to ache after today's lesson.  That he was sure of.

 

"You're a dick, you know that?" Ichigo glared at a smug-looking Shiro as he ate a treat Ichigo offered him.  Ichigo's words didn't affect the horse in the slightest.  Shiro happily munched on the treat and bumped his nose against Ichigo's hip, nipping at the pocket full of treats.

Ichigo sighed, "Fine."  Digging into his pocket, he withdrew two more treats and offered them to Shiro.  With his horse finally distracted, Ichigo heaved the saddle and pad from Shiro's back to tuck the equipment under his arm.  The bridle slung over his shoulder knocked into the stall door as Ichigo slipped into the aisle.

Walking pass the occupied cross-ties to get to the tack room, Ichigo overhead the three boys - Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika - loudly discussing something that seemed pretty important.

"We can enter two teams instead of one," Renji said.

"What, are you worried you won't make the main team?" Ikkaku teasingly joked.

"No."

"You should be," Yumichika chimed in.

"Shut up!  I had an off day!" Renji defended himself, and Ichigo couldn't help but chuckle as he listened to the conversation.  Renji did knock a few poles down, but at lease he didn't fall off... three times.

"It won't hurt to ask him.  Worst he'll say is no," Renji said once he calmed down.

"Then you go ask him.  He just went in the tack room," Yumichika said.

Ichigo glanced around the tack room expecting to see someone else in there with him, but except for a sleeping cat atop a pile of spare saddle pads, Ichigo was alone.   _Me?  What do they want with me?_ he thought, looking to the open door in time to see Renji stroll through it.

"Hey," he greeted Ichigo, walking across the room to where Ichigo was stretching a protective nylon cover over his saddle.

"Hey," Ichigo mimicked a little warily.  He hung his bridle on his assigned hook on the wall.  "What's up?"

"You're an eventer, right?"

"Yeah..."

"You ever think about joining an eventing team?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes at the round-about way of asking him to join Silver Soul's eventing team.  "Is that an invitation?"

Renji smirked at Ichigo's bluntness.  "Yeah, it is.  But it's only if you can stay in the saddle long enough."

"Says the guy who's always knocking down poles.  I have a young and inexperienced horse.  What's your excuse?" Ichigo returned the jibe with a cocky smirk of his own.

Chuckling laughter erupted from the doorway, startling both Ichigo and Renji.  Ikkaku leaned against the wooden frame with Yumichika standing at his shoulder.  "You'll fit right in."

"I didn't say yes yet."

"Come on, dude.  We need one more rider to enter two teams.  If you don't join, three of our members won't be able to compete this season.  You can still do individual eventing if you're on a team," Renji begged, all playful teasing in his voice forgotten.

Ichigo glanced between the three boys.  He didn't really care whether he competed in individual or team eventing as long as he got to ride.  At his previous stable, the eventing team wasn't taking new riders.  Ichigo could've became a reserve rider in the slim chance one of the main members got injured, but that didn't sit too well with him.  He hated the idea of benefiting from someone else's tragedy, because that was the only way he'd make the main team.  So Ichigo chose to compete individually, but now with the opportunity of being on a team presented to him, his decision was crystal clear.

"I'll join."

Collective sighs of relief huffed from each of the other boys.  "Thanks, Ichigo," Renji said, wide grin upon his lips.  "We'll sort things out with Nel and get you more details tomorrow."

 

Ichigo closed the latch of Shiro's stall and whispered goodnight to his horse.  He probably should've left an hour ago, but he had to share his good news with Shiro first.  Somewhere between telling the equine about being on a team and taking his sweet time brushing down every inch of Shiro's coat, Ichigo lost track of everything outside Shiro's stall.  It wasn't until his phone buzzed in his pocket with a text from Karin that Ichigo realized how late it was.

He rushed down the aisle at a jog, careful to keep his footfalls quiet so as not to disturb the horses.  As he passed the viewing windows of the indoor arena, a flash of blue caught his attention.  Ichigo's pace faltered until he stumbled to a stop.

One hand settled at the base of Pantera's neck while the other hung at Grimmjow's side.  Bareback and bridleless, Grimmjow sat tall upon his horse, his hips undulating with Pantera's every loping stride.  The pair rounded the arena's far corner and followed in line with the wall.  Halfway down the wall stood a single vertical jump - at least 3 1/2 feet tall.  As Grimmjow fast approached it, Ichigo didn't know whether Grimmjow was ballsy, confident, or stupid.  Maybe he was all three; but either way, Ichigo prayed he made it over the jump safely.  That cocky asshole should really be wearing a helmet!

Breath stilled in Ichigo's lungs as Pantera approached the jump.  Pushing off his haunches, the horse propelled himself over the top pole, front hooves easily clearing it.  His back legs tucked into his body, and if Ichigo didn't know any better, he'd have thought Pantera was a show jumping horse and not a reining horse.  Grimmjow, as well, could've passed as a hunter/jumper with his form: heels down, shoulders and head up, eyes ahead to where he's going and not behind to where he's been - all the more impressive without a saddle or bridle, not even a rope looped around Pantera's neck for the slightest bit of control.

Grimmjow was a stupid fuck for not wearing a helmet, but Ichigo admired the trust and bond Grimmjow had with Pantera.  Ichigo could only imagine the time, effort, and patience that went into the performance he was watching.  It was nothing less than an art form.

Ichigo silently watched Grimmjow make two more laps of the arena.  Never once did Grimmjow notice his one-person audience.  If he had, Ichigo doubted he'd have such a tender smile upon his lips that softened his rough features.  That smile widened to a face-splitting grin when the pair landed smoothly after a jump and Pantera slowed to a walk.  Grimmjow leaned forward to shower both sides of his horse's neck with affectionate pats and scratches.

"That's my boy," Grimmjow praised, ruffling Pantera's dark forelock like one would ruffle a child's hair.

As Grimmjow slipped from his horse's back, Ichigo backtracked to the arena's gate.  Now was as good a time as any to talk to him, and Ichigo  _really_ wanted to pick his brain for riding and training tips.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo called, leaving the gate unlatched as he entered the arena.

Grimmjow turned at the sound of his name, his brows furrowed in irritation at being disturbed.  But when he spotted Ichigo, his grimace morphed into his trademark shit-eating grin.

"What do you want, Carrot Top?"

Ichigo's eyes narrowed at the nickname.  He stopped just out of arm's reach of Grimmjow, in case he got the urge to punch the stupid fuck in the jaw.  "I was going to compliment your riding and thank you for helping unload Shiro, but now I'm going to call you a fucking idiot for not wearing a helmet."

Grimmjow arched an eyebrow at the bite in Ichigo's tone.  "What are you?  My mother?"

Ichigo jabbed his finger at the arena wall near the gate.  "There's a sign right there that says helmets are required.  Most stables have them."  As Ichigo continued, his voice took on a softer, more hesitant tone, "And people can get seriously injured without one.  You could hit your head and die, you dumb fuck."

"That rule doesn't apply to me," Grimmjow scoffed.  "It's only there for clients so when idiots fall off and get hurt, they can't hold us liable."

"But you should still-"

"Yeah, yeah, safety and all that shit," Grimmjow cut off Ichigo's would-be lecture.  "I hear enough of that crap from my sister, so I don't want to hear it from a newbie whose name I don't even know."

"It's Ichigo.  Now can I lecture you?"

"Fuck off.  What do you even want?  I'm busy."  Grimmjow brushed past Ichigo with Pantera a step behind.

Ichigo swiveled on his heels, saying the first thing which came to mind.  "You should compete in hunt seat.  Your form is perfect."

Both boy and horse paused.  "Thanks, but no thanks."  Grimmjow glanced over his shoulder at Ichigo, a mischievous glint to his aquamarine eyes as they trailed down Ichigo's body.  "Jodhpurs don't make my ass look as nice as yours."

Ichigo stared blankly at Grimmjow, the latter's smirk growing larger by the second.  Heat rushed to Ichigo's cheeks, and he couldn't hold Grimmjow's gaze any longer.  Averting his eyes to the ground, Ichigo scratched at the base of his neck.

Hearing a snorted chuckle, Ichigo looked up to see Grimmjow exiting the arena - hand raised in a parting middle finger.  "I'm serious, by the way.  You got a nice ass," he called, his words echoing down the stable aisle.

 _Asshole!  Jerk!  Dumb fuck!_ Ichigo internally screamed, cursing his face for lighting up like a neon sign in the night sky.  Yes, Grimmjow was hot - any guy in tight jeans and rolled-up sleeves caught Ichigo's attention - and he was also a brilliant rider, one of the best Ichigo had ever seen, but he was a dick.

 

While brushing down Shiro the next day after a more-or-less successful dressage practice, a light knock against the stall door had Ichigo turning his attention to see Nelliel leaning against the door.

"A few little birds told me you're interested in joining the intermediate eventing team," Nel said.

"Little birds?" Ichigo arched an eyebrow.

Nel smiled warmly.  "They chirp quite loudly in the stables.  I was asked to give you the proper paperwork."  She lifted her hand and waved a few sheets of paper in her grasp.  "Most of it is information for you and your family, but the top sheet needs to be signed by both you and a guardian.  First competition of the season is next month; so get it back to me by the end of the week, and I can register two teams for it."

"Thanks."  Ichigo took the stapled sheets and folded them into a square to slip into his pocket.  He then went back to grooming Shiro.

"You know what else little birdies told me?" Nel asked, a hint of teasing to her tone.

"That I fall off a lot?"

"That too," she laughed.  "But I was talking about a certain little brother of mine."

Hand freezing in the middle of a long brush stroke, Ichigo warily glanced over his shoulder.  After a moment of hesitation, he completed the brush stroke as if nothing happened.  "Grimmjow, you mean?"

"Ah, yes.  Gotta love him and his booming voice.  You'd be surprised how far it travels."

Ichigo's blood ran hot at the playful glint to the other's crinkled eyes, and color pooled in his cheeks.  He fidgeted, scratching at his neck and shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Aw!  I just want to pinch those cheeks of yours," Nel gushed, reaching into the stall with grabby hands aimed for Ichigo's cheeks.  She sighed and slumped against the stall door when Ichigo backed out of her reach, choosing instead to rub Shiro's muzzle.  "You're no fun."  Straightening with a pout, she turned to leave.  "Don't let Grimm push your buttons too much.  He doesn't socialize often; and when he does, he's kinda an asshole.  But he's a teddy bear at heart if you look deep, deep, deep within his horrible personality."

Ichigo somehow doubted that, but then the image of Grimmjow showering Pantera with love and affection popped into his head.  It didn't make Grimmjow any less of a dick, but it made Ichigo want to know the other teen better.  He only hoped it wouldn't involve punching the asshole in the face.

Finishing with Shiro quickly, Ichigo raced home far faster than he should have.  Once again, he found himself thankful none of his new neighbors were cops as he turned into his driveway and parked the car.  He'd probably never admit it to anyone, but being invited to join a team - especially an equestrian team - had the same warm euphoria enveloping him as the day his father bought a then three year old Shiro to surprise Ichigo for his birthday.  So if his stride was longer and more lively than normal, he'd blame it on not falling off today - because no aches and pains meant more freedom of his joints and muscles.  Yep, the cause definitely wasn't from finally being able to join an eventing team.  Nope, not at all.

He pulled the front door shut a little too loudly as he slipped off his riding boots.  Muttering a quiet "I'm home", he meandered down the entryway hall to see his father and sisters sitting down to start eating dinner.

"Welcome home, Ichi-nii," Yuzu greeted as she set a covered pot upon the table.

"You're back early.  Did you hit the ground so hard they had to send you home?" Karin asked nonchalantly.

"Come here, my boy.  I'll check you for a concussion."  Isshin scooted his chair back and ushered for Ichigo to come closer.

Ignoring his father, Ichigo took his seat at the table.  "That happened once.  Let it go," he told Karin.

"Dad has to check you for concussions all the time," Karin fired back.

"I'm fine.  As hard as it is to believe, I didn't fall off today."

"Not even once?" Yuzu chimed in.

"I know.  It's a shocker."  Ichigo couldn't even get mad at the blow to his pride, because their worry is more often than not warranted.  At least once a week, Isshin had to check him for a concussion or clean dirt from nasty scrapes on his back or shoulders.

Ichigo reached into the pocket of his riding breeches and pulled out the folded square of papers.  "I actually joined the eventing team today.  I need you to sign the top sheet," he slid the paper across the table to his dad.

"Congrats, Ichi-nii.  You can be just like Mom now," Yuzu cheerfully said, missing the second of bristling grief her last words caused.

Ichigo forced a small smile upon his lips as he leaned over to ruffle Yuzu's hair.  "Yeah.  Just like Mom," he said quietly, ignoring the ache in his heart.

Yuzu and Karin were too young to remember what happened.  They were left in the care of their kindly old neighbor that day while Isshin and nine year old Ichigo went to watch Masaki compete in national level eventing with her team.  It was the second day of competitions - the cross country trial - and the course was slick from the rain.  Many horse and rider pairs slipped and slid on the course, but none as bad as Masaki.  Her horse lost its footing on a downward jump and flipped forward with Masaki still in the saddle.  Even if she would've survived the fall and the crushing weight of the horse, doctors said she would've been reliant upon machines to keep her breathing.

So Ichigo knew all too well the dangers associated with horses.  Being nine back then, he was terrified of horses for a long time after witnessing his mother's death.  It was only with the patient understanding of his riding instructor at that time which helped him trust horses again.  At twelve years old, it had taken a lot of persuasion on his part to convince Isshin to let him compete in individual eventing.  So two years later when his dad bought Shiro specifically because the gelding was an eventing prospect, Ichigo felt they both had finally come to terms with the passing of his mom.

"So can I?" Ichigo asked Isshin.

His dad quietly skimmed through the pages - a liability/permission slip, a schedule of team practices, and general information on the competitions the team would enter.  After a few long moments, Isshin looked to his son with a broad grin on his face.  "Of course.  Grab me a pen, and I'll sign it."

 

Ichigo awoke early the following morning, so early the sun had yet to rise on the horizon.  Rolling over to check the time on his bedside clock, he groaned to see it was quarter to five.  His head plopped back to his pillow as his eyes squeezed shut.  No matter how hard he tried to fall back asleep, his mind wouldn't settle into the bliss of unconsciousness.  It didn't help that he could hear his father watching the early morning news as a pot of coffee brewed in the kitchen.  His sisters were lucky their bedrooms were on the opposite end of the house.  Ichigo just had to choose the room by the stairwell.  He cursed the noise that traveled up from the first floor.

But even if the house was dead silent, Ichigo doubted he could fall asleep.  His excitement to officially be part of the eventing team kept his eyes wide open and his mind anything but drowsy.  He tossed and turned, trying every sleeping position which came to mind, but to no success.

After Isshin left for work around five thirty, Ichigo padded down the stairs in his plaid pajama bottoms and plopped onto the couch cushions.  He flipped through the television channels until he settled on a rerun of an old game show, turning the volume down to a murmur.  Lying on his side, he had every intention to catch another hour or two of sleep; but before he knew it, the rays of the morning sun shined through the living room windows.

With a heavy sigh, he accepted his sleepless fate and pushed himself to his feet.  He whipped up some toast and eggs for breakfast and downed the remainder of his father's coffee.  He'd need the extra boost to make it through the day.  Although he had no plans today, so technically he could've lazed around to take an afternoon nap.

But his limbs were jittery - restless.  He wanted to feel the slight strain of his muscles as he rocked his body with Shiro's cantering stride.  Nel did say to get the permission form back to her as soon as possible, so she wouldn't be mad if he stopped by today even if he didn't have a scheduled lesson.  Right?  And if he happened to go for a short ride, nobody would blame him as long as he stayed out of everyone else's way.  Maybe he'd try bareback jumping.  But with a helmet.  Ichigo wasn't a dumb fuck like a certain blue-haired teen he knew.

So he shimmied into his riding breeches and slipped on a red polo t-shirt.  After leaving a note for his sisters and tucking the permission slip into his pocket, he grabbed his keys and hurried out the door while pulling his riding boots on.

The commuter traffic made Ichigo's drive longer than he would've liked, but he eventually got to his destination without pissing off too many other drivers.  He parked in the same spot next to the fountain he always did and went in search of Nelliel.  He found her typing at her computer behind the reception desk of the main office building.

Nel looked up at the sound of the bell which knocked against the door.  "Well good morning, Ichigo.  What can I do for you?"

Ichigo dug into his pocket and offered Nel a very crumbled permission form.  "I wanted to give this to you."

"Oh, good!" she accepted it.  "Byakuya is the team's adviser, so I'll have him figure out who'll be on which team.  Is there anything else you wanted?"

"Actually," Ichigo hesitated, "would I be able to use one of the arenas for a little bit?"

"Let me cheek."  Nel spun in her chair to check one of many schedules hanging on a bulletin board.  "The indoor is free until ten, so you can mess around in there for about two hours."

"Thanks, Nel!" Ichigo called as he spun on his heels.

He rushed through the stable aisles to the tack room, grabbing only his helmet and Shiro's bridle.  Once he got to Shiro's stall, he quietly slipped inside.  "Hey, Shiro.  You wanna try something new?"

Shiro stamped his hooves and bobbed his head, simply wanting to get out of his stall.  He accepted the bit into his mouth without any fuss and obediently followed Ichigo into the indoor arena.  As Ichigo set up the same jump Grimmjow had used in the middle of the arena, Shiro trotted in zigzagging paths to let off some steam.  When Ichigo called his name, Shiro walked over to him.

"Good boy," Ichigo praised, collecting the reins in his right hand.  Entangling his fingers in Shiro's white mane, Ichigo hopped atop him to wiggle into place.  With a click of Ichigo's tongue and subtle leg pressure, Shiro walked forward.

Ichigo felt every shift of Shiro's muscles beneath him.  He swayed atop Shiro as he tried to find his balance.  It was far from Ichigo's first time riding bareback, but it'd been a while.  He straightened his posture and squeezed with his thighs to be able to move better with Shiro's strides.  Once he was comfortable, he asked for a trotting gate and then a canter.

"Alright, Shiro.  Let's give this a try," he uttered to his horse as they rounded the corner.  Approaching the jump, Ichigo held Shiro's speed in check.  But the moment Shiro's front hooves left the ground, Ichigo felt his balance shift - felt Shiro leaving him behind.

The ground - no matter how many times he hit it - was harder than he remembered.  Left shoulder colliding first, Ichigo rolled onto his back to lie still and allow his mind to catch up with his body.

The boom of loud laughter had Ichigo sitting up, spotting Grimmjow doubled over with his amusement.  Ichigo flicked him off as Grimmjow entered the arena.  "So the rumors are true," Grimmjow mused, stifling the last of his chuckles.

"Shut up," Ichigo grumbled as he pushed himself to his feet.  Dusting off his jodhpurs, he went after a still cantering Shiro.

"Your center of balance was off."

"Huh?"  Ichigo stopped in his tracks, turning to face Grimmjow.  "What do you mean?"

"Let me go grab Pantera.  I'll show you."

Grimmjow was back after only a short moment with a tackless Pantera quietly following.  He hopped atop Pantera's back with lithe grace.  "You're relying too much on stirrups you don't have.  Instead of putting your weight on the balls of your feet, you have to put it in your core.  And when you're jumping, you especially can't rely on invisible stirrups.  Use your thighs and your core instead of stirrups.  Like this."

Grimmjow extended his arms out at his sides as if to emphasize the reliance of the core muscles as he lifted himself forward using his thighs, demonstrating a perfect jumping form.  When he sat himself back down, he said, "Just remember you don't have stirrups to rely on."

"Okay," Ichigo nodded.  That explanation surprisingly made sense.

He retrieved Shiro and wiggled his way atop the equine's back.  After setting his position and getting a nod from Grimmjow, Ichigo urged Shiro to motion.  Shiro transitioned to a smooth canter, lapping the arena before straightening for the jump.

A mantra of  _No stirrups, no stirrups_ rang through Ichigo's mind.  As Shiro pushed off his haunches, Ichigo squeezed his things to push himself forward with Shiro.  As Shiro's front end landed, his back end rose to meet Ichigo before all four hooves impacted with the sandy footing.  Ichigo jolted forward from the landing but managed to keep his seat atop Shiro's back.  Reining Shiro to a stop, Ichigo found himself beaming at Grimmjow.  "Thanks."

"Whatever," Grimmjow shrugged.  "Do you mind sharing the arena?"

"Not at all."  Ichigo would actually prefer seeing Grimmjow's riding up close instead of from the viewing windows.

Ichigo sat atop Shiro to simply observe Grimmjow for a while.  He expected to see more reining moves, but a far greater surprise met Ichigo's eyes - an almost perfect pirouette.  Pivoting off his hind leg, Pantera moved his forelegs around in two complete circles before smoothly transitioning to a collected canter.  After rounding the short end of the arena, Pantera's gate shifted to an extended trot, and he moved laterally across the arena.

Grimmjow noticed Ichigo's gawking and slowed Pantera to a stop.  "What?" he demanded.

"I... I thought you were a reining guy."

With a small smirk, Grimmjow shrugged his shoulders.  "I dabble in a bit of everything."

Ichigo's jaw dropped.  He never pegged Grimmjow as the modest type.  That was not dabbling in any definition of the word.  The dressage moves were impressive in their own right, but to be able to execute them without the aid of bit or saddle was astounding.  Grimmjow could easily compete and win against seasoned veterans - while bareback!  What else could this boy do that Ichigo didn't know?

In that moment - as Grimmjow cantered circles in the far half of the arena - Ichigo found himself with countless questions he wanted to ask.  He wanted to know everything about Grimmjow.  When did he start riding?  How old was Pantera?  What kind of training did it take to teach Pantera so much?  Did he have any other personal horses?  But most importantly, Ichigo wanted to ask...

Can you teach me more?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glossary
> 
> double combination jump - two jumps in a row with no more than 2 strides between them
> 
> pirouette - a two-track lateral movement asked of a horse in dressage, in which the animal makes a circle with its front end around a smaller circle made by the hind end
> 
>  Again, it's probably easier to look up videos on youtube to see certain movements.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
>  
> 
> Next Chapter...  
> Teams are announced, Practice for competition begins, and Grimmjow might be a great riding instructor


	3. Legacy to Live Up To

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so very sorry this update took 2 months. I got behind on another project and that caused a domino effect where I was behind with everything. Thank so much for your patience!

Team practices weren't much different than Ichigo's typical riding lessons.  Some people were opposed to them for the simple fact it'd be a group lesson, but Ichigo was used to others not only watching but finding amusement in his riding mishaps.  He never liked private lessons, because part of the fun in horseback riding was having others to ride with.

And it seemed Ichigo had been practicing with the eventing team from his very first day at Silver Soul.  There were only two new faces he hadn't met before - a bespectacled boy with black hair framing both sides of his face named Uryu and a more melancholic boy with dark messy hair named Ulquiorra.  Ichigo got along with both boys well enough, or in Ulquiorra's case, he assumed they were on decent terms.  The boy didn't really interact with anyone other than the instructors, and he was a hard person for Ichigo to read.  But Ulquiorra was the best at dressage on the team, so Ichigo left him to his own devices.

After a week of practices, Byakuya called all eight members to the main office to finally announce the makeup of the two smaller teams.

"Before I tell you the teams, let me say there is no high team or low team.  You are paired based on individual strengths and weaknesses to create two equally strong teams, so I don't want to hear any smack talk.  Got it?"  Byakuya's gray stare zeroed in on Renji and Ikkaku, holding both their gazes until the two nodded in understanding.  "Alright then.  Team 1 is Ikkaku, Yumichika, Ichigo, and Ulquiorra; which makes Rukia, Orihime, Renji, and Uryu team 2.  Any complaints?"

Ichigo doubted Byakuya would actually change the teams if anyone spoke up, and thankfully enough, no one did.  A few high-fives and fist pumps passed between teammates, but the celebrations were cut short when Byakuya cleared his throat.

"To maximize the time we have before the first competition, team 1 and team 2 will practice separately during the week and together on Saturdays, with Sundays being rest days.  The bulletin board is up to date with the schedules, so I don't want to hear any excuses about being late to practice."  Once again, his gray stare landed upon Renji.

"I can't control traffic!" the redhead defended his frequent tardiness.

"You could leave earlier," Yumichika muttered.

"Hey, who's side are you on?"

"The side that gets us to practice faster."

"Oh yeah, Byakuya, are we almost done here?  Tier's gonna be mad if we're all late."

"And who's fault would that be?" the instructor countered.

"I'm telling you, traffic is horrible!"

 

The team eventually made it to the outdoor arena for their Saturday dressage lesson, albeit fifteen minutes late.  Tier was not a woman to be kept waiting, and the teens held their breaths while waiting for some sort of punishment.  The dressage instructor must have been in a good mood today, though, because she let them off the hook with a warning and the promise of a month of mucking stalls if it ever happened again.

"Renji, heels down and stop slouching!  Ichigo, shorten his reins!  Hands steady and decrease the length of his stride," Tier called from her position in the center of the arena, watching her pupils ride in collected canters - some more successful than others.

Centimeter by slow centimeter, Ichigo shortened Shiro's reins.  He felt his horse fight against it, tossing his head to regain the length he lost.  "Shiro," Ichigo breathed in warning, but to little success.  Another toss of his head, and Shiro pulled the left rein from Ichigo's hand.  As Ichigo scrambled to catch the falling rein, Shiro - like the little shit the gelding was - locked his front legs to slide to an abrupt halt.

_Shit._

With his center of balance already off, Ichigo jolted forward and somersaulted over his horse's shoulder.  Dust flew into the air as his shoulders collided with the ground, his back hitting within milliseconds.  He lay still - honey brown eyes squeezed shut - even with his left foot caught in the stirrup causing his leg to be raised uncomfortably over his chest.

Ichigo sucked in a deep breath of air, hearing footsteps rush his way.  The swish of a tail brushed against his helmet as he pried his eyes open.  With half his vision being the swirling clouds in the sky, he could almost forget the ache to his muscles and pretend it was a normal session of cloud watching.  But then he spotted Shiro looking back at him with a mischievous glint to the horse's ghostly blue eyes, and Ichigo swore his gelding was laughing at him.  He wanted to be mad, but with a foot still tangled in the stirrup, the only emotion he could muster was thankfulness for Shiro standing quietly.

"Are you okay?" Tier asked, rounding in front of Shiro.  Holding Shiro's reins in one hand, she used her other to untangle Ichigo's foot.

"Yeah," Ichigo muttered as his leg finally joined the rest of his body on the ground.  He rolled once to put a safer distance between him and Shiro's back legs before sitting up to test his muscles.

Good news - nothing was broken.  Bad news - he'd hurt like a bitch tomorrow.

With a sigh of relief that quickly turned to one of exasperation, Tier held her hand out to help Ichigo to his feet.  "You need to work Shiro on a shorter rein, or you'll blow the dressage trial.  Start lunging him in a surcingle if that's what you have to do, but don't think you can get away with the same sloppy movement you do in jumping and cross country.  I won't tolerate it and neither will the judges.  You either fix it within three weeks or drag your team down in the competition.  Got it?"

Ichigo bowed his head at the reprimand.  "Yes, ma'am."

She turned away from him.  "We're done for the day," she told the rest of the team as she left the arena.

As his teammates dismounted - uncharacteristically quiet - Ichigo directed a glare at an oblivious Shiro who was more interested in pawing at the dirt.  "I hope you're happy now, 'cause you got me in trouble," he quietly grumbled.  In fact, Shiro was so happy he nudged Ichigo's shoulder with his nose until Ichigo gave in with a soft smile and stroked his cheek.

"Ichigo."  He turned his head at the call of his name, spotting Orihime walking toward him with her chestnut mare following behind.  "Everyone has off days.  I'm sure Shiro will get the hang of it soon."

"I sure hope so," he said.  The last thing Ichigo wanted was to drag his team down, so for the team's sake, he and Shiro needed to work this out.  And the sooner, the better.

Slipping his foot in the stirrup, Ichigo swung into the saddle.

"You're gonna keep practicing?"

"For a bit, yeah,  It's not good to end on a bad note."

"Good luck," Orihime said with a small wave as she walked off.

Ichigo waited for the arena to clear before collecting the reins to their normal length and asking Shiro to walk along the fence line.  With a soft nudge of his boots, Shiro picked up the pace to a smooth trot.  Slowly, Ichigo started to shorten the reins a tiny bit at a time.  The slow acclimation seemed to be working, so Ichigo shortened them to the proper length.

A single stride with the shortened reins - that's all Ichigo got out of Shiro before the horse bobbed and tossed his head.  "Easy, boy.  You're okay," Ichigo breathed as his hands held steady.

But Shiro had had enough.  With another toss of his head, the gelding kicked out his back legs.

"Okay, okay, I get it."  The words tumbled from Ichigo's lips in a rush.  Tucking his right elbow into his side, he released the left rein to force Shiro into a tight circle.  Shiro's circles eventually slowed until the gelding came to stop.

Ichigo huffed a sigh and dropped the reins to drape over Shiro's neck.  "You know, I get you don't like this, but is it really that bad?  You're pretty good at dressage when you wanna be."  His hand settled on Shiro's neck to comb through the horse's mane.  "Look, if it were up to me, I'd give you as long of a rein as you want, but it wouldn't be dressage then.  We've got the movements down, but they look sloppy.  If we want to make them pretty - like they're supposed to be - you need to work with me."

A loud chuckle startled Ichigo.  He twisted in the saddle to spot Grimmjow hopping over the white-washed fence (because he can't be bothered to walk an extra three feet to the gate).  "Do pep talks actually work?" the blue-haired teen asked with another boisterous laugh as he strolled to Ichigo's side.

"Shut up.  I'm trying," Ichigo muttered, but there was no real heat to his words.

Grimmjow's laughter died down and his trademark smirk sobered to a thoughtful line of lips.  "Have you ever tried a different bit?"

"Yeah," Ichigo nodded, "but they were too harsh on his mouth."

"No, not harsher.  Softer.  Like a basic snaffle."

Ichigo laughed at the thought - a single breath of amusement.  "You've been watching, right?  He barely respects this bit and will probably run right through a basic snaffle."

"Have you thought maybe he doesn't respect the bit because it hurts his mouth?"

Ichigo opened his mouth to speak, but his words caught in his throat.  He was disappointed and frankly ashamed to realize the thought had never before crossed his mind.  He'd always prided himself on the bond he had with Shiro, but if he truly knew his horse, shouldn't he have noticed something as simple as a bit being too rough on Shiro's mouth?

"Look, I'm not saying that's the case," Grimmjow clarified.  "It probably doesn't bother him when you give him a long rein, but he has to be collected in dressage.  It's not like cross country or jumping where your form doesn't matter.  If you can't get his form correct, you have no chance of winning or even placing for that matter."

"Gee, thanks.  Was that supposed to cheer me up?"

"No, dipshit.  I'm trying to offer my help.  We've got plenty of extra bits in the tack room, and I was gonna offer to go get one; but if you're gonna be a little bitch about it, then you can forget it," Grimmjow spat with a scowl.  He turned to stomp off.

"Wait!" Ichigo called, reaching to grab the other's arm, but Grimmjow was too far away for Ichigo to reach.  When Grimmjow paused to listen, Ichigo huffed a sigh.  "I'm sorry."

"What was that?  I couldn't hear you."  Grimmjow glanced over his shoulder, his lips curled into a smirk.

"I said I'm sorry you're an asshole."

With a snort of laughter, Grimmjow continued toward the stable.  "Sit tight.  I'll be back with a different bit."

Ichigo stared after him, eyes trained to Grimmjow's back.  Dirt smeared the shoulder of his gray button down and dusted his dark jeans.  As Ichigo watched him disappear into the stable, he swore Grimmjow's stride was off.  It was slower than normal, his limbs stiffer and more rigid.

It was almost comforting to know even the great horse whisperer Grimmjow partook in the cloud watching hobby every now and then.

Ichigo only had to wait a few minutes for Grimmjow to return with a new bit and bridle in hand.  Shifting to dismount, Ichigo already had his leg swung over Shiro's rump before Grimmjow stopped him.

"Sit your pretty little ass back in the saddle.  I got this."

Ichigo nearly lost his balance and fell off.  With a rosy flush to his cheeks, he righted himself and slipped his foot back in the stirrup.  "I was just starting to like you, but then you opened your damn mouth."

Grimmjow's smirk returned tenfold as he eased Shiro's bridle off.  "You wouldn't trust me with your horse if you didn't like me," he said, holding the new bit in his hand.  Bringing it to Shiro's mouth, the gelding accepted it without any fuss.  After slipping the crown piece behind Shiro's ears, Grimmjow fixed Shiro's forelock and ran his hand down the horse's face.  Handing Ichigo the reins, Grimmjow instructed, "Trot him for a few strides and let him get used to the changed bit.  When you think he's ready, shorten the reins and ask for a canter."

Ichigo bit his tongue to resist saying  _Yes, Instructor Grimmjow_ as the other slung the old bit and bridle over his shoulder and stepped out of Ichigo's way.

With a click of his tongue, Ichigo urged Shiro forward.  The gelding took off a little faster than normal, but Ichigo reined in the horse's speed, surprised to see Shiro actually cooperate with the softer bit.  If anything, it showed how much Shiro had matured compared to the spunky and unreasonable three year old he once was.  Ichigo stilled his hands at Shiro's withers and asked for a canter with his outside leg.

Shiro picked up the stride with ease, and after a full lap of the arena, Ichigo shortened his reins and adjusted his seat position for a more collected canter.  With only a single shake of his head, Shiro shortened the length of his stride - his steps becoming slightly more elevated as his weight shifted to his haunches.

A broad grin broke out on Ichigo's fate.  "Good boy," he praised with a scratch of his fingers.  They rounded the shorted end of the arena before Ichigo slowed Shiro to a trot and then a walk.

Grimmjow met them halfway.  He flashed an equally beaming grin at Ichigo.  "It's easy when you and your horse are on the same page, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, showering Shiro with pats and scratches to his neck.  He swung from the saddle and turned to Grimmjow.  "Thanks."

Grimmjow shrugged off the gratitude.  "I'm surprised no one else mentioned it to you."  He handed Ichigo the other bridle and turned to go back to his stables chores.

Grimmjow might have been a dick, but Ichigo found him to be strangely companionable after looking past his vulgar mouth and numerous comments about Ichigo's ass.  But Ichigo couldn't blame Grimmjow, because Grimmjow's ass looked as nice in jeans as Ichigo's did in jodhpurs.

 

After resolving his dressage issues, Ichigo figured practices would be relatively easy - not easy in a simple and mindless kind of way, but easy in a confident and familiar way, the kind of practice that would leave him wanting more.  While Shiro did behave marginally better with a softer bit - at least in dressage - Ichigo's problems didn't end there.  Although in this case, it was Ichigo at fault, not Shiro's spunky attitude.

Ichigo wasn't afraid of many things.  He had a human's most common fears - premature death, losing a family member or friend, and being helpless to prevent the first two.  That's probably what his new fear stemmed from, although it was more of an old fear than a new one.  He pretended he was over it - told anyone who asked that it didn't bother him anymore.

But as Ichigo waited for the signal to start the course - waited for the five minute interval between riders - he knew all that was one huge lie.  Shiro knew it too, feeling the strained grip Ichigo had on the reins and the stiff posture of Ichigo on his back.  Ichigo fidgeted, glancing at Ulquiorra as he waited off to the side for the other three members of team 1 to finish.  Dark honey eyes turned to Byakuya and the tablet in his grip, catching sight of Ikkaku and Yumichika on the real-time video feed as they rode on separate lengths of the cross country course.  Finally, his eyes fell upon the stopwatch in Byakuya's hand and waited with a frigid anticipation for the time to tick by.

"30 seconds, Ichigo."

His fingers twitched, feeling the smooth leather of the reins slide against his skin.  With a deep breath, he steeled himself against the nerves threatening to spill over and chose to bury them as far down as possible.

This wasn't new.  Ichigo was all too familiar with the tingle of his skin and the uncomfortable heat choking him from the inside.  He battled against the jitteriness every time he looked out upon a countryside and forest trail littered with jumps from between the ears of a horse.  As a spectator on the ground, he loved the view; but once it was his turn to face it head on, memories from that day when he was nine years old resurface to the forefront of his mind.

"Ichigo, five, four, three, two.."

At Byakuya's signal, Ichigo urged Shiro to motion.  The horse picked up a cantering stride easily, his hooves trampling crisp green grass.  As the pair approached the first log obstacle, Ichigo's nerves melted away.  His mind calmed as his body took over, muscle memory helping him to act without much conscious thought.

Ichigo moved with Shiro, lifting up from the saddle and leaning forward as his mount jumped the obstacle in their path.  With the wind against his cheeks, Ichigo was reminded of how much he loved eventing - every part of it, even the cross country obstacles that brought repressed chills to his skin.  At times, it scared the absolute crap out of him to think how easily he could face an untimely end like his mother, but atop a horse was where he felt at home.  So he pushed those thoughts aside.

Or he tried to.

Ditches, apex fences, water obstacles - Ichigo handled them all with ease.  Even a bounce fence combination - where there wasn't enough room between the two jumps for Shiro to take a full stride - didn't faze the pair.  But as he passed the fourth minute marker, he looked on for the next obstacle.

A Normandy bank - a combination obstacle with a ditch preceding the bank.  The horse had to jump the ditch and onto the bank in one leap.  With a fence at the top of the bank, the horse had to transition to another jump right after landing the first.  If that wasn't difficult enough, it was a drop fence where the horse landed at a lower level than where it jumped from.  Because of its difficulty, this combination isn't seen until the upper levels of eventing.

But Ichigo was in the upper levels, and it was an obstacle he'd have to get used to.  As he rode closer with each stride, Ichigo told himself not to fear it, but respect it.  Respect the difficulty.  Respect the danger like all the other risks that came with horseback riding.

He drilled those thoughts into his head as Shiro approached the ditch.  Ichigo held his horse in check, slowing his speed so as not to over-jump the ditch and get caught between it and the drop fence.  As they cleared the ditch, Ichigo raised himself forward to keep up with Shiro's bounce between jumps.  In the air, Ichigo straightened his upper body and let more length of the reins slip through his fingers to give Shiro freedom to stretch his neck forward.  Shiro didn't miss a beat as he landed on the downward slope of the bank and pushed off his haunches to continue his cantering stride.

Ichigo released a shaky breath of relief he didn't realize he was holding in.  He took a second to reward Shiro with a pat to his neck and a muttered  _thank you_ before focusing on the final few obstacles of the course.

They finished at the same point they started, being greeted by the other three members and riding instructor.  Ichigo reined Shiro to a stop beside Byakuya as the instructor held the stopwatch up for him to see.

"Great job on the obstacles, but be careful of your speed between them.  You're cutting it real close to a speed fault."

Ichigo nodded at the constructive criticism.  After a few more overall tips for the team, Byakuya dismissed them for the day.  As Ichigo rode back to the stables, he let Shiro walk at his leisure - draping the reins over Shiro's neck.

Huffing in a breath of air, Ichigo let his shoulders slump as he exhaled.  It wasn't Ichigo's first time facing the same obstacle that led to his mother's death, but it was his first time successfully jumping it.  In his small handful of attempts, Shiro either refused or over-jumped the ditch to get caught between the jumps, being forced to abandon the drop fence and go around.  But none of the failures were Shiro's fault.  Ichigo knew it was his own lack of confidence and insecurity that led to Shiro mirroring his emotions.

But today, he hadn't failed. 

His heart continued to race in his chest, and his fingers trembled.  A warmth washed over him like none he'd ever felt, wrapping him in a vaguely familiar embrace - one he hadn't felt in years.

When he reached the stableyard, Ichigo swung from the saddle.  His legs felt like jelly with each step he took - as if today was his first time on a horse.  Bypassing the cross-ties, he led Shiro straight to his stall.  Ichigo latched the door behind them and methodically removed his tack.  He draped the tack over the stall door, the saddle feeling heavier than normal in his grip.

With his arms now free, Ichigo leaned against the stall wall, sliding down to squat above the fresh pine shavings which bedded the stall mats.  Dark honey eyes peered up at a curious Shiro.  As the horse stepped closer, Ichigo reached his hand out to stroke Shiro's long face.

"Holy shit, Shiro," Ichigo breathlessly laughed.  "We did it."

The soft fuzziness of Shiro's fur beneath Ichigo's hand calmed the trembling of Ichigo's fingers.  With each stroke upon Shiro's cheek, the beat of Ichigo's heart evened out to a more normal pace.  But the warmth - the feeling of blissful peace within an embrace - that never left him.  Even when Shiro turned away from Ichigo in favor of nudging his saddle to the ground outside the stall, Ichigo's smile remained fixed upon his lips.  If anything, it grew upon seeing Shiro's typical antics as the horse knocked the rest of the tack to the floor.

"The fuck are you doing?"

Even that voice - the voice of the boy who always commented on his ass - couldn't dampen the euphoria within Ichigo.  His eyes glanced to Grimmjow, finding the boy staring back at him.  "Basking in glory."

Grimmjow snorted at the answer.  Stepping around the fallen tack, Grimmjow folded his arms atop the stall door and leaned his weight against it.  "So I can assume practice went well?"

"It was great."

"Oh, yeah?"  Grimmjow arched an eyebrow, stroking Shiro's face when the horse nudged his arm.

For some unfathomable reason, Ichigo felt he could tell Grimmjow.  And the other held the curiosity of a cat within azure eyes, so Ichigo figured Grimmjow would listen.

"I- no, Shiro and I jumped a Normandy bank and didn't die."

Ichigo expected laughter - deep chuckles and obnoxious guffaws - but the corners of Grimmjow's eyes softened as lips twitched into a smile.  "It's great to get over fears, isn't it?"

The tone of his voice - the subtle hint of wisdom beyond his years - led Ichigo to believe Grimmjow knew the exact same warmth flooding his system.  "I never thought I would, with what happened to my mom and all."

Grimmjow's hand dropped from Shiro's face, hanging within the stall.  "She was a great rider."

"Yeah," Ichigo sighed, "she wa-  Wait.  How do you know that?"

"Your mom was on the national team.  This whole stable knows who she is."

Ichigo's head dropped, staring at his hands as they wrung together.  "It's a hard legacy to live up to."

Another snort of amusement drew Ichigo's attention.  He was ready to demand to know what was so funny, but Ichigo's words died in his throat when Grimmjow said, "You're doing just fine."

Maybe Grimmjow wasn't so bad after all.  Him being an inappropriate ass seemed inevitable, but he was surprisingly helpful and, dare Ichigo say, amiable at the most unexpected of times.  Grimmjow reminded him of a cat - aloof and easily provoked but affectionate on his own terms - and the thought had Ichigo's lips stretching into another smile.

"Thanks." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter...  
> First competition begins, Ichigo draws a bad lot number for dressage trials, and Grimmjow is strangely supportive in an asshole kind of way


End file.
